Wednesday, August 20, 2008

You can light candles, sit on a cushion, and follow specific instructions on how to meditate, but the truth is that you already know how. Meditative consciousness is no more than a shifted relationship to yourself and reality; your everyday life is already filled with many moments in which you connect with yourself in this way. You simply need to recognize that you're naturally meditative, and amplify that place inside you. Here are some basics to help you do that.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Tantric sex can be an intensely magical - and pleasurable - experience. Allison Winn Scott at Redbook magazine explains how to make the ultimate sex connection.

If you're looking to add a little heat and a lot of intimacy to your sex life — and who isn't? — the ancient practice of Tantric sex might be the answer. "Some people think that Tantric sex is a cult or that it's about making love for hours on end," says Al Link, coauthor of Soul Sex: Tantra for Two. "But it's actually a simple and accessible way for people to raise their lovemaking energy, make a spiritual connection with their partner and break down boundaries." Plus, it can give you truly incredible orgasms. What's not to like? Here, our step-by-step guide. Read more

Friday, August 15, 2008

A reader asks Suzie Heumann, founder of Tantra.com, this question: "For someone who may be interested in learning more about Tantra and may take a couple of workshops, what kinds of benefits might they hope to achieve? I ask this, because many people are hesitant to dive in, head-first, to something they might consider so exotic, Eastern, fringe, etc. "

There are many benefits to achieve through a practice that includes Tantric techniques, and the effectiveness will, of course, depend on the individual person and what they already bring to the table, so to speak. A person or couple who has done some kind of activity in the personal growth arena may have a head start on the person who is just beginning to delve into the more interior aspects of life. Read more

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Yoni veneration is as old as humanity, says Peter Baltensperger in Lucrezia Magazine. The yoni symbolizes the cosmic receptacle as well as the ultimate source - the inexhaustible fountain of life itself.

Cultures throughout the ages have venerated the yoni as the symbolic representation of the mystery of the cosmos. As the primal source of all being, it constitutes the entrance into the universal womb from which we all come and to which we all return. In Hinduism, it is the attribute of the goddess Shakti, consort of Shiva. In Earth-centered, Nature-based religions, it is the sacred symbol of the Great Goddess, the Great Earth Mother herself. Above all, it is the matrix of generation, the universal focus, the be all and end all of existence. It is the shrine of worship for the great mysteries of the universe, the ultimate representation of life. Read more

To meditate means to examine. It doesn't mean you have to sit in a lotus position in silence (although you can). It means you are attending to what's going on within you - perhaps with your breath and senses, your internal thoughts and feelings, or the space in between these objects of attention. This investigation of mind becomes somewhat habitual the more you practice. Read more

Friday, August 1, 2008

Mandalas and yantras are visual tools that serve in meditation either as centering devices or as symbolic compositions of the energy pattern of a deity as seen by Tantric seers in their vision. BellaOnline's meditation editor Susan Kramer explains how to use a mandala or yantra for meditation.

A mandala is a universal symbol, and a yantra is a cosmically inspired geometric design. By spending time gazing upon them we are drawn within to greater realizations of esoteric qualities - beauty, truth, peace, joy.

I find pictures of blooming flowers inspiring, but use the mandala or yantra that attracts you.

To begin your meditation select a quiet time and sit with a straight back on a cushion on the floor in front of a low table, with a lighted candle and incense if you desire. Read more